A Vegetarian Guide to Vietnamese Food

Vietnam is a paradise for herbivores, standing out with vegetarian-friendly cuisine in a region where meat is the most common fixture at the dinner table. Here is a vegetarian guide to Vietnamese food.

Fear not. Dietary restrictions or a strict health plan will never prevent you from sampling Vietnam’s quintessential delights like phở, bánh mì, and gỏi cuốn. What distinguishes Vietnamese cuisine from all other Southeast Asian culinary practices is its respect for fresh vegetables and herbs. And for those who adhere to a vegan diet, you’re in luck. Hardly any dairy is used in the preparation of Vietnamese food. Just steer clear of fish sauce, the country’s most profusely used flavoring agent. Unless you’re pescetarian, vegans should always specify (the phrase you’re looking for is “khong nuoc mam” — no fish sauce).

Thuc Don Chay’s affordable prices is the reason why I keep coming back for more

So what does Vietnam’s food scene entail for the wandering plant-eater? For starters, it won’t be an all-out mission to track down dinner as vegetarian eateries, as restaurants marked as ‘Quan Chay,’ are plentiful. Although the abundance of vegetarian-friendly restaurants is mostly widespread, vegetarianism seems to be more commonly observed down in Southern Vietnam because of its access to the Mekong Delta, the largest export market for fruits and vegetables in the country. Earlier this year, Ho Chi Minh City made it on Matador Network’s 13 of the World’s Best Cities for Vegetarians at #4.

Look for the words ‘Quan Chay’ in the store signage if you’re looking for vegetarian food // Credit: Giacngo.vn

As you travel north, the numbers start to dwindle but vegetarian presence still remains strong. In the past eight years, Hanoi has seen a growing demand for vegetarian-friendly restaurants and cafes due to an influx of westerners to the capital. Statistics reveal that while 55 percent of Vietnamese claim to be Buddhists, only 12 percent of Vietnam’s population abides by its strictures. Because vegetarian habits are somewhat rooted in religious principles, you see that it is readily available near the likes of pagodas and temples.

The diverse selection of vegetarian-friendly options goes beyond the standard characterless vegetable fried rice offered by neighboring countries like Thailand and Cambodia. You’ll find some reprieve from white rice in Vietnam because unlike the rest of Asia, carbs are not restricted to this type of processed grain. The tradition of baking baguettes à la the French promises an escape from the monotonous pairing of rice with “insert vegetarian entree here,” thanks to Vietnam’s colonial past. One of the best ways to start your day is a bánh mì ốpla, the ultimate breakfast sandwich, consisting of a fried egg, soy sauce, black pepper, and fresh cilantro. Just opt out of the pâté spread, a meat paste commonly eaten in Vietnam (không thịt = no meat).

From avant-garde eateries to hole-in-the-wall cafes down unassuming alleyways, you’ll find meals that run a wide range. And unlike other countries where vegetarianism is more of a fad and therefore more costly, eating a fantastic meal won’t compromise your funds. Just the other day, I turned the corner to find a bustling quan chay canteen that served up some hefty bowls of bún noodle soups, all vegan-friendly, for the very affordable cost of 20,000 VND per bowl (about $1 USD). Only in Vietnam.

TIPS FOR STARTERS

To notify any vendor of your dietary habits, use the phrase: “Tôi ăn chay.” I eat vegetarian food/I am vegetarian

As mentioned above, nearly any item on a menu has a vegetarian counterpart, which you can access using the word “chay.” So, for example, when you want to order a vegetarian phở, all you have to do is attach “chay” to the end. For a list of Vietnamese food, click here.

For example:

Phở chay = vegetarian pho

Bánh mì chay = vegetarian sandwich

Gỏi cuốn chay = vegetarian fresh spring roll

Cơm chay = vegetarian rice

Also, there is a difference in dialect for the terms salad. In the north, salad is referred to as “nộm” while in the south, it’s referred to as “gỏi.”

Just a heads up when eating phở that for restaurants that serve only phở, you may get a vegetarian version but it will come with meat stock. Usually larger restaurants tend to be more accommodating with serving vegetarian stock because they have the resources so be advised if this is the case. Also, don’t forget to specify no fish sauce especially for fried rice dishes and the spring roll dipping sauce.

Vegetarian Hu Tieu Noodle Soup with Oyster Mushrooms

VIETNAMESE VEGETARIAN DISHES YOU MUST TRY

Bột chiên: fried square rice flour cakes with whipped eggs and green onion that has the consistency of seasoned potatoes

Nộm hoa chuối: refreshing banana flower salad flavored with a squeeze of lime and a handful of chili

Izzy Pulido is a Bostonian by way of the Philippines who loves to vagabond. At 28, the former expat has traded in her nomadic ways for a semi-permanent life in the USA. These days, she's focusing on balancing domestic and international travel with a full-time job, while planning her 2019 destination wedding in Oaxaca, Mexico. She lives for good times, good food, and good peeps.

Super cool post. As a vegetarian traveler, I’ve realized that the best way to travel to foreign countries is to do plenty of research before hand. This is going to be so helpful for vegetarians traveling to Vietnam!

I’m heading to Vietnam later this year. I’m also Vietnamese so won’t need as much help, but this article helped me remember a few of the dishes I used to love eating while living there. I’ll also need to re-learn how to read Vietnamese as I’ve forgotten most of it. Thanks for refresher course. I’m looking forward to the trip!

This is such an inspirational and informative post! Thanks for sharing. Eventhough I’m not a vegetarian, I love to explore local dishes and nice eateries in the country I’m travelling. I would especially love to try Bánh xèo chay ones, it sounds really delicious. I’m definitely going to keep this article in mind for when I’m travelling to Vietnam.

Andrea

Thank you for the article, I have tried most but now definitely will try them all.

I have started an organic vegetarian meal subscription service called “Chay”. We deliver nutritionally designed, professionally prepared with love vegetarian meals to you ready-to-eat. Not sure if it falls in the same category of this article. However, do check us out at this website: mychay.com. I am very proud of it!

It must be my lucky day today because I found your post! My husband and I are visiting Hanoi in a few weeks for our anniversary. This post is going to be so helpful for us and our tummies! 🙂 I wonder why you mentioned “no fish sauce” though? Coz here in the Philippines, fish sauce is commonly used. 🙂

Thanks for the tips! I love Vietnamese food because they’re light and for the most part filled with veggies and healthy. I’ve always wondered is Ho Chi Minh or Hanoi the better place to stay at when you visit there.

This is interesting. I actually learned a lot from this post. I am not a vegetarian but i do agree that looking for restaurants when you are in a travel is a challenging one. Ive never tried so much vietnamese cuisine except the ones i had in House of Bawai, a vietnamese resto here.. and i super love their noodles.. the “pho” thing which i really forgot the name! Haha! I suddenly felt hungry looking through your photos 🙂

Vietnamese food is one of my favorite in the world. I absolutely love the Bánh xèo. I am not a vegetarian but when I traveled thrugh Vietnam I have eaten a lot of vegetarian dishes and I found them to be delicious. I didn’t know that the vegetarian pho is actually made with meat broth.

Your list of vegetarian restaurants in HCM and Hanoi is very handy. There are many vegetarian options in Vietnam and one only needs to know the keyword “chay” ( vegetarian) in order to enjoy life there 🙂 Thanks for sharing!

This article grabbed my attention just by the name. Finding vegan food gets a bit too difficult something and in Vietnam where even a vegan soup is cooked in meat broth, going vegan can be really difficult.. Your article just solved all my problems about finding vegan food in Vietnam.